The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-19
.fAs FAMILY sIoRE.RooM.
Advantages of Buying groceries aud Pro-
Visions bv the Quantity.

THE FAMILY STORE-ROOM.
Advantages of Buying Groceries aud Pro-
visions by the Quantity.
There is an old proverb TO the effect
that great abundance makes great
waste. 1t is certainly true If the keys
of the store-rorm are left In the hands
of servants Undisciplined hands are
not careful about quantities and the
most honest girl will unconsciously. II
she is allowed to measure out stor.s.
waste more than her mistress can savo
by buying her groceries at wholesale.
American mistresses allow SO much
more freedom to their help than En-
glish women that it is no uncommon
thing for the stock of the store-room to
be in the hands Of those who are in no
special way interested to save it. II
you are not willing to take full charge
Of the stores yourself, giving out once
a day what Is needed, 1t is economy to
order every thing day by day from the
grocer. There is an immense saving
il the mistress of the house is willing
to take the trouble in buying goods by
the quantity, that is nearly all goods
which are improved or are not injured
by keeping.
A store-room should be we'll venti-
lated and so situated that it will not
freeze in winter. 1t should have
window that can be used to light tho
room as well as ventilate 1t. There Is
scarcely any thing that appeals to the
pride of the housekeeper like neat
well-provided store-room. The shelves
should be arranged in systematic tiers
with a hanging shelf and hooks in the
beams to hang ham and other dried
meats. Flour should always be bought
by the barrel 1t is an economy 10
keep both kinds on hand, the patent
process flour for bread and the old
process for pastry and cake. II only
one kind is kept new or patent-process
-four is the best for general use. I'm
bolted or Graham hour should be
bought by the barrel or half barrel.
Rye, Indian meal. buckwheat. rice and
hominy become infested with weevils,
If great care is not taken. They should
not be purchased in any large quanti-
ty. and they should be examined often
to see that they are sweet. Indian
meal should not remain over week
on hand il it is the old-process meal.
Kiln-dried meal will keep indefinite
ly. but it is not SO sweet Dat meal,
arrow root sage. tapioca, gelatine,
maccaroni, vermicelli should all be
kept OH hand in small quantities Tin
boxes are the best to store them in.
The corner Of shelf should be taken
up with little tin boxes carefully la
bled, containing dried herbs, whole
spices. reppercorns and curry powder.
and few cans IT mushrooms and vari-
Gus articles for seasoning sauces.
soups and stulfing for fowls. There is
no economy in buying sugar by the
barrel, as the retail price is about the
same as the Wholesale. Twenty five
pounds of graduated sugar for gem
eral use is enough to keep in store
with five or ten pounds each of pow
dered and loaf sugar for table use.
Coffee is improved by keeping it in a
cool dry place, if it is not Drowned, but
loses flavor il stored after browning.
1t is pity that the Ger
man method Of browning and
grinding the coffee each
morning for breakfast is not in vogue
in this country. Tea is a great deal
cheaper by the box. and should be
purchased in this way whenever it is
possible. The canister. which ordi-
narily holds half a pound. can be filled
from the store-room, and the head Of
the house can readily see how fast the
tea is used.
Lard, dripping. and butter should be
stored in stone jars in the coolest and
driest place. Vinegar improves with
keeping and it is economy to buy a
large supply. Dried beans. peas and
dried vegetables and fruit should be
stored away in the fall when cheapest
for winter use. The years supply OF
raisins. currants. citrons and other
dried fruits from foreign lands comes
to market in November. and this is a
good time to secure good supply for
winter. 1t is also the time when
all the old stuff left over from
the year previous is vended ex-
tensively. and great care should be
taken as this old stock is often imposed
upon tho purchaser as new. A care
full housewife will provide herself with
jellies. preserves. pickles. chow-chow
and catsup of her own making. Soap
should always be purchased by the box
and taken out of the wrappers and
stored in dry place. Itimproves the
longer it is kept. Starch is much
cheaper by the box, and bluing should
be purchased by the dozen bottles. II
is wise to store vegetables in room
by themselves. Those persons who
are compelled to buy vegetables will
find it cheaper to buy them by the
quantity. as potatoes which sell at 81
barrel or less are retailed by the
grocer at Is cents peck, or at the
rate of So so barrel. Other vege.
tables and fruits are sold at about the
same rate. 1t is. therefore, economy
to buy them by the quantity if yor
throw away half the barrel. Z
Tribune